Isaac b



(No Model.)

I. B. LIVINGSTON.

FIRE TELEGRAPH. N0. 246,163. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

N. PETERS. Pnolomho n her, wnmn mn. [L C.

Uwi'rnn STATES PATENT ISAAC B. LIVINGSTON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EZEKIEL KEITH, OF SAME PLACE.

Fl RE-TELEG RAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,163, dated August 23, 1881.

Application filed April 18, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Isaac B. LIVINGSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Telegraphic Fire- Alarm Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of telegraph fire-alarm systems having a continuously unbroken line-wire running from one pole of the battery, with which connections are made to the signal-boxes, and from the latter to the ground, the line from the other pole of the battery running to an alarm-bell and thence to the ground, the object being to provide a normally open circuit tire-alarm telegraph-line, which circuit is closed when alarms are given.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents an improved telegraphic fire-alarm system embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a section of a wire-supporting post and a circuit 2 5 makin gand breaking apparatus attached thereto. Fig. 3 is view of the rear side of the operative parts of the make-and-break wheel, its pinion-and-spring connection shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A is the striker device, of

0 any suitable construction. B is the enginehouse. D is the battery. 6 e e c e are telegraph-poles. t is the line-wire. n are the wires connecting the make-and-break apparatus upon each pole with the main line i. 0

3 5 are the ground-connections at each post. 8 is the ground-connection from the striker. c is the make-and-break apparatus on each post.

h is the make-and-break wheel. 00 are pins in wheel h. g is a pinion-wheel engaging with wheel h, and provided with a handle, as shown, by which to turn it. c is a connection-stud on the support to wheel h, to which is connected the wire n. r is a like stud, to which is connected the ground-wire 0. e is a spring se- 4 5 cured to stud r and lying against wheel h. f is a stop-spring engaging with the front face of wheel h.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

(N0 model.)

I construct the make-and-break apparatus o much in the usual manner by making the wheel h of metal, setting into it a series of metallic pins, re, and fitting it to be revolved on a central stud, c, which is set in then oil-conducting partition (I, and upon another stud set in said partition I hang the pinion g, by turning which wheel h is rotated. A connecting-stud, c, is set in partition (6, to which the wire a is socured, and one end thereof projects far enough through said partition to cause it to be hit by each of the pins or in wheel h when said wheel is rotated. To the second stud, r, in said partition the ground-wire 0 is connected, and upon the opposite end of said stud is secured a metallic spring, 0, which bears against the rear face of wheel h. A spring, f, located in front of wheel h, and havinga stop-tooth on it to engage in a suitable depression in the face of said wheel, serves to indicate when said wheel has been turned once around.

As shown in the drawings the mainline wire runs from the striking apparatusAthrough the engine-house B, where it may be connected with any suitable alarm device to operate when an alarm is given, and thence forms a continnous single line, or one having lines branching therefrom, as indicated, which is supported in the usual manner upon the posts 6. The said line-wire t is connected with the battery 1), which is located between the en ginehouse and the main-line alarm-connections, said enginehouse and the striker devices being located on said line between the battery and the groundconnection beyond said striker devices. The wires n are connected to the main line '5 and to stud 0 in the make-and-break apparatus, and the stud r in said apparatus is connected with the ground by the wires 0.

By the use of the construction and devices herein shown and described, it will be seen 9 that the running of two wires from the battery around the entire alarm-circuit is obviated, and the expense of maintaining a battery in a closed circuit is dispensed with, for through the single-wire connection a, which constitutes with its connections an open circuit, efficient means are always available for calling the requisite electric impulses which are demanded for signaling and striking purposes into immediate action, while the whole line is entirely free from any electric action, excepting during the interval in which an alarm is being sounded.

The metallic wheel h in the make-and-break apparatus applied to each call-station is provided with such a number of pins :0 as'will make the call from each distinctive from every other one, as it is understood that every separate contact of one of pins m with stud 0 causes an alarm, and one revolution of wheel h causes the number of strokes on the alarmbell which corresponds to the number of the station calling.

As above stated, an indicating-springyfi acts on wheel h to tell when one revolution of said wheel has been made when turned by hand; but, if desirable, said wheel may be run by clockwork, and the regularity of its rotating movement be assured by the employment of any of the well-known devices applicable to such a purpose.

The construction herein shown and described, and the combination, with the battery D, of suit-able'ground-connectionsoperatingthrough a proper make-and-break apparatus and an alarm-striker, produces the following results in operation: Upon turning wheel 71, to give an alarm each of the pins 00 is brought successively into contact with stud 0, and a permanent ground-connection is by spring 6 and wire 0 made with wheel it. Thus when one of pins 00 is in contact with stud c, which through wire a is in connection with the linewire 6, a continuous ground-connection is made from one pole of the battery D through the make-and-break apparatus which is being operated, and said connection is broken and made intermittently as said wheel h is rotated. The opposite pole of said battery is connected with the ground through the engine-houseB, and the striker device A by the wire 8. Therefore each contact of one of pins :0 with the stud 0 makes such an electric connection with battery D, through one of the ground connections 0 and the wires, as causes the striker devices to operate and give the alarm; but when said pin 00 and stud c are not in contact the circuit through the line is broken.

I am aware that in fire-alarm telegraphs it is not new to connect one pole of the battery, at or near the main station with the earth and use alarm-boxes which have each a groundwire connection, and I do not claim, broadly, such construction; but

What I claim as my invention is The combination, in atelegraphic fire-alarm system, of a battery, D, of an alarmbell, A, of a ground-wire running from one pole of said battery to said bell and thence to the ground, of a continuously-unbroken line-wire, i, running from the opposite pole of said battery, supported by a series of posts, 0, and constituting a normally-open circuit, of one or more signal-boxes, v, each provided with suitable make-and-break mechanism, and a permanent ground-connection, and each connected with the line-wire i by the single wire a, substantially as set forth.

ISAAC E. LIVINGSTON.

Witnesses:

H. A. UHAPIN, J. D. GARFIELD. 

